Base-ball-game apparatus.



0.1/1.rv STREETZ. -BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

y l I APPUCATIN FILED SEPLZS, 1914. Y 1,135,333. y Patented Apr. 13, 1915. 2 Sama-SHEET 1.

0.1. STREETZ.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTJS, 1914.

1&1155333, Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

' .ball eine u ireratus ,in

,y r l 'ademen to its onction an- OSCE J. STREETZOF RIVER GROVE, ILLINUIS.

BASE-BLLLGAME APPARATUS.

pecication of Letters Patent.

Patented Agir, i3, 19E 5.

Application filed September 23, 1914. Serial No. 863,060.

Be it known that l, Osterie J. Srennrz, a citizen ci elle United States, residing et River Grove, in tlif county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain newand useful improvements in Base-Ball- Gaine Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to bese bell game apparatus, having 'reference more particularly to that type of such apparatus which employs n shallow nox representing :i baise ball field, a. mechanical device foi impelling the ball from the bntters position into the licld, and depressions or pockets in the field into which tbe ball cornes to rest, each ci such depressions representing e certain play that may occur in tie regular game of base ball.

The object of my invention is to provide :in improved device for impelling the ball from tbe betters position at the home plete,

and zo tliiserrd the inyenm'on consists in .an Hopi-cred niechanicalsfbeter having the novel t'eatnresfo constructicnend mpdeoff manipulation substantielly` es hereinafterL described and pointed 'out milio claims;y

. In order that jin invention. endits model of use may be cleerly.y understood herein fthe' accompanying drawings, iluistraelv 'the coinplee bese,

Same in connection with? c li Y it Well ferrinijy theretom t ,Figure l is e 'pien View if-ne apparatus with ille einreichen ot the chart or keyylflg.

2 ,is-a cross on thev line il; 2 or Fig." are ,perspective elevations, of differently 'colored discs used .to represont the players ci two opposing Ybell A;k If 5 is plain ijieefvo the chart or key;-

l; Figs. 3 :incl e Pig. i3 is n. 'persiviect e elevation of the meclurnicel, battervl'igf is a vertical axial section of Athe ncjrhenicel better, showing the bell .set therein in position to be played.

Referring to the drawings, Figs; Il end Q show tbe mein essential, parts of tile game apparatus, the semecomprising a rectangular base-plate, convenientlyvformed in two mpeg-posed pnrtsconsisting ci a lower solid-v or imperrorsite plete A and an upper perforeted plete B resting thereon. @n the upper surface of the plete B is printed or otherwise pictured a representation of a base-ball field, and from four edges of the plate A rise low bounding side and end walls 'cardboarcL strawboerd or the like.

The representation ofrthe base-ball field on the upper surface of the bottom Wall of the box body contains circles E, or .other suitable markings to designate the bases and the ielderslpositions, the home-plete being indicated by a diamond shaped merking F. At close intervals throughout thea outfield the upper plate B is formed with a plurality of circular apertures which, in conjunction with the lower plete A form shallow pits or pockets G, with each of which is associated an identifying symbol, preferably a numeral, as clearly shown in Fi l.

and I designate, respectively, differently colored disks, as red and blue, of each? .of which a sulicient' number verlefusedto' represent the playersoftwocpposing teams.

The excisedldislrstliat resnlt ronilflieper- 30 oreiingwoflie plete B' may vcenveniefntly :indi economically be lused crvthis fpi'nposef: when properly colored or etlirerxiiserdierentietedn K designateeftiie .-ballwwinciif sa ,veniently be .simply Aze smolliwooden bell;

. Fig. 5 shows in plan View a lchart.orgley 10o that is preferably, although not necessarily, employed in tlie playing vol ltliezgzime;` this@ chart comprising. one orimoreucolumnsQ; of the identifyingv numerals of Vtlieipqck'ets G arranged iu numerical order or sequence, and directly opposite vSeid numerals, u ger respondinnil column or columns R of' printed words dening the plays identified by the respectii-'e numerals opposite the' same. These play-identifying indicia may be presented on any card or sheet accompanying the apparatus; but, where the latter is emeiser avenants COPY each representing one of the opposing sides i .ortea-ms.. If thev side represented by the blue disks'is at the bat and the side represented bythe red disks H is in the field, the various players positions in the field are covered by red disks H, shown in Fig. l, and the person who is playing the4 side represented by theblue disks places the mechanical batter L directly over the home plate F with the lateral opening N toward the field. He thenplaces the ball K in the top opening M of they batter and presses the same down with his finger. In so doing the spring O is tensioned rearwardly, and

as soon as the ball comes into register with the side opening N "it is projected 4through the latter by the springinto and over the field, usually striking and rebounding from one or more of the bounding walls C and D, and coming to rest yin one of the pockets G. As soon as the ball has thus corne to rest the play established by the shooting of the ball is determined' by the identifying nu! meral of thev pocket which the ball has reached. by reference to the chart if necessary. The ball is successively manipulated in the saine way, and a record is kept by the l player of thel successive plays thus made, until the side at the bat is retired underthe lregular rules of the game. lVhen a oneba'se,.twovbase or three-base hit is secured, adisk or chip representing the side atthe hat is placed upon the first, .second or third' base, so that thev appai'atus to an extent affords .a representation of ,the lactual run fning of the bases by the players at the bat. In 'F ig. 1 the field is represented with a runner on second base and a runner on third base. When one Side is retired, it* takes the field and the other side comes to bat, and

the game roceeds in the manner already described or the regulation nine innings or for such length as maybe agreed upon between the persons playing the game. It is, of course', possible for the game to be played by a single person successively manipulating the disks or chips representing the oppcsingsides or teams,

The" mechanical batter L 'is of such a be set so that the opening N. will point sub' stantially to the center fielder to the right or left field, so that a considerable variety in the general direction of projection of the ba'll isvobtainable., The ball may also be made to cnroin or rebound from one Q r more ol' tbc bounding fwalls,'wliich adds further feature of chance and skill. 'Still again, when `the ball isflepressed in the sbootingjblrmk L\ b v the linger of the operalor, by giving the ball a slight turn or r'oll to one side or the other the spring O can be made to impart a greater or less degree of l'lnglish7 to the ball, somewhat as in the game of billiards, thereby` introducing a further factor of skill.

l. A mechanical batter for a baseball block having a. hole to receive the ball, a hole in its side to discharge the ball, and

spring adapted to broject the ball' through the latter hole.

2. A mechanical' batter for a` baseball game apparatus, consisting of a hollow block having a hole in its uppcrend to receive the ball, a hole in its side to dischargeA the ball and a spring adapted to vproject the ball through the'latter hole.

3l A' mechanical batter for 'a baseball nov;

game'app'aratus, consisting of a hollow" block having'a hole in itsup er end' fn re-- cci ve the ba a hole in its si( e to discharge the ball, and` an oblique'ly disposed spring adapted tobetensio'ned bythe insertion of the ball into the block and by its' reaction to shoot the ball' through the side hole when the ballzcomes into register .withjthe latter. 4. A mechanical batter for a base-ball farne apparatus1 consisting of a hollow block having a hole in its 'up r end to receive the ball, a hole in its si e to discharge vthe ball', and an obliquely disposed-.wire

spring securedv to the block at its-up r end and free at its lower end adap to be tensioned by the insertion 'ofthe ball info' the block and by its reaction to shoot' the ball through the side hole whenrthe ball comes into register with the latter.

l @SCAR J. STREETZ.

Witnesses S. vN. Poma, A. G. Lamm i 

